Self-regarding. Venal. Blind to reason. Never before have we been cursed with such incompetent MPs. STEPHEN GLOVER on why millions of Leavers AND Remainers now see our benighted ruling class as utterly beneath contempt | WHAT REALLY HAPPENED

This spring Saturday was meant to be Day One of a glorious new era. After 46 years in the EU, Britain was supposed to be a sovereign state again, no longer partly ruled by bureaucrats in Brussels who don’t go to the bother of getting elected.

Instead of that joyous state of affairs, we are sinking further into the mire. After Theresa May’s third, and pretty resounding, defeat in the Commons yesterday afternoon, we find ourselves at the mercy of the European Union, which we thought we had escaped.

EU leaders may now offer us a lengthy extension beyond April 12, but at the cost of our taking part in Euro elections at the end of May. Some — me included — doubt whether we will ever leave. A general election and a Marxist Corbyn government may lie ahead.